Exit Strategy

I've heard it said that I lady always knows the appropriate time to make her exit. But how do you really know? Its like playing cards... you always risk the hand of a lifetime being dealt after you walk away. Welcome to my dilemma. Things with the flight job have actually gotten worse rather than better. I keep getting calls from all over the state for shifts that I can't work (usually I'm working at the hospital). However my last 2 paychecks have been completely screwed up. The have switched me to an Arizona employee (WTF?), which means I get to pay AZ withholding, my last check was to be 48 hours and instead it was 21. My hourly rate was completely wrong, which amounted to a difference of a couple hundred bucks, PLUS even though I no longer have benefits through said flight company... they continue to deduct them. I have emailed my supervisor several times and have gotten no response. I even asked what was going to become of me after the first of the year... and zilch. This is BULLSHIT. I bet if I sent in an ammended mileage sheet with my travel calculated from AZ to the east coast they would get it straight pretty fast!

My gut is telling me to get the money straight and then go. As much as I want to fly, this is ridiculous. I don't even want to pick up more shifts due to the amount of crap there is to deal with. So, when does the lady make her exit?

The Trauma 'tern

At night our traumas are run by a third year trauma resident (PGY 3) and there is a fifth year that responds to the more severe cases. We are also blessed with an intern who is the bitch of trauma surgery for a rotation. This person can be headed into any area of surgery.. including general, plastics, oral-maxillo facial, ortho or neurosurgery. Regardless of their final destination they are a first year doctor... aka intern (or as we call them the 'tern). I don't take orders from the 'tern, nor do I take bullshit or attitude. Some are great and earn respect and (some) trust from the nurses, others should never be left alone with a patient.

The current 'tern is the latter. He is an ortho resident who seem to have issues with the female nurses. We have dealt with attitude, him physically pushing us out of the way and many rude comments (some of which have had a slight racial inclination). I have not been in the trauma room too much lately to have to deal with him and that has probably been a good thing. Not sure what the best and most appropriate way to deal with him is. Other nurses have addressed it with him personally and gotten brushed off. My thoughts are... I have been doing this since you were a freshman in undergrad and just because you survived med school I do not have to kiss your ass.

My last shift I actually crossed my fingers that we wouldn't get any traumas so I wouldn't have to deal with him. I just didn't want to go there. The one trauma we had, he tried to delegate to the Special Forces supervisor. (his job is to.... supervise the combat medics NOT do bitch work). When I pointed that out he rolled his eyes and ignored me. Its hard to be the "bigger person" when you want to beat the shit outta somebody!

Back tonight.... if I beat the 'tern to a bloody pulp I will post pictures!!!

The end??? Or the beginning?

Friday night I went in at 2300. I figured I'd do an easy 8 hour shift, run home, shower and then drive north for ACLS at noon the next day Funny how we nurses see an 8 hour shift as an easy, short day. The rest of the world works 8's and hates it. Hmmm... interesting. So we were busy as hell, I was walking the Green mile with a full zone including a prisoner with necrotic pancreatitis and a former nursing instructor who fell at a basketball game and took a BIG chunk out of her calf. As I got settled the clinical coordinator and attending in charge approached me (I had the code room) to let me know that there had been a balcony collapse downtown, they were calling an internal disaster and I need to clear out everyone I could.

The story goes there was a house party at the college downtown. Over 150 kids at the house and 40-50 out on this old ass balcony. I can do math and 1900's balcony + 40 kids at 120-250lbs each = BAD! Out of all the kids we got 21... 11 trauma alerts and 10 walking wounded. They were all a little drunk but nobody was badly injured. The 3 that I got were very sweet and easy. I felt bad for them. After 8 hours of sheer hell I called my ACLS instructor and told him that there was NO WAY I would be up there. Too damn tired.

I have also emailed my boss with the flight company. He has fucked up my timesheets twice, I am not getting shifts and to be honest, I'm getting pissed at the whole situation. How am I supposed to get better if I'm not flying on a regular basis? My mom made a good point... it may be better for me to make my own decision rather than let them make it for me. If they can't give me a decent answer I can walk away. There are other programs out there. It is not ideal, but I am willing to stick it out to really get what I want versus what they are willing to give me. It is bittersweet to be willing to leave and knowing when the right time to go is!